Hoboken, New Jersey: Rent Control

When a tenant leaves voluntarily, the landlord may reset the next tenant's starting rent, but only up to 25% above the prior rent and no more than once every three years for the same unit, after which the new rent is controlled again. Landlords must register rents with the city's Rent Leveling and Stabilization Office by June 30 each year, and newer buildings can be exempt for up to 30 years under New Jersey's new-construction exemption law.

What is in force

In force today. Adopted January 16, 1984, with rents controlled from an October 1, 1985 base. Codified as Hoboken Code Chapter 155 and amended frequently, most recently October 22, 2025 (Ordinance B-818, adding proof-of-previous-rent requirements and an annual filing-accuracy review by the rent office). A COVID-era increase moratorium ran April 2020 to May 2022; the 2020 index increase remains permanently disallowed.

The rent increase limit

Annual increases are limited to 5% or the change in the consumer price index, whichever is less; periodic tenants get at most one increase per 12 months based on the index change from 15 to 3 months before the increase. Increases require 30 days' written notice with reasons and a certificate of substantial compliance with housing standards. On top of the base cap, the ordinance allows municipal-tax and water/sewer surcharges, board-approved capital-improvement surcharges (raising base rent at most a third in any 12 months), and hardship increases to a fair return.

What housing is covered

All dwelling units, broadly defined, except motels and hotels, newly constructed dwellings for their first rental only, industrial and commercial space (apartments in mixed buildings stay covered), student housing, government housing, buildings completely vacant since January 1, 1984 for their first rental only, and multiple dwellings under New Jersey's state new-construction exemption (up to 30 years, with required filings; when that exemption expires the last exempt rent becomes the controlled base).

What happens on vacancy

Capped vacancy decontrol: when a registered unit is voluntarily vacated or lawfully recovered, the landlord may set the new tenant's starting rent up to 25% above the last rent paid, after which the unit is controlled again from the new base. A unit may be decontrolled this way at most once every three years, and the office issues a $50 decontrol certificate. Condominium and cooperative units rented by bona fide owner-occupants of two or more years get a one-time uncapped initial rent when they move out and rent the unit.

Eviction and termination rules

The chapter defines just cause for eviction by reference to state law and imposes no local eviction restrictions of its own.

Registration and filings

Annual rent registration by June 30 listing tenants, rents, the last increase, and lease expirations, now with proof of the previous rent; filings are public documents and the rent office must review at least a tenth of them each year and publish results. Failure draws fines of $100 to $2,000 per unit, a doubled fee, and loss of index increases and decontrol rights. Registration is also a precondition to tax surcharges.

Other requirements

Landlords must give tenants a disclosure statement on board forms; serving it starts the two-year window for refund claims. Tax-appeal savings pass through to tenants net of costs, and declining services can lower rent. Violations are fined up to $2,000, counted per unit and per demand.

Notes and caveats

• No published annual percentage — the operative index change is computed from the lease's own timing (the index 15 months before the increase versus 3 months before), so there is no single citywide annual figure; the rent office computes the number for a given tenancy on request.
• The 2020 increase is permanently off the table — increases deferred during the 2020–2022 moratorium may be taken prospectively, but the index increase attributable to 2020 is disallowed outright.

Cite this page: "Landlord Atlas, Hoboken, New Jersey: Rent Control (verified August 13, 2026), landlordatlas.com/laws/new-jersey/hoboken/" — free to cite and quote with a link (how these records are verified).

Citations

• Hoboken Code § 155-5 (5%-or-CPI cap) (verified 2026) Official source
• Hoboken Code § 155-2 (coverage and exemptions) (verified 2026) Official source
• Hoboken Code §§ 155-31–155-34 (capped vacancy decontrol) (verified 2026) Official source
• Hoboken Code § 155-30 (annual registration) (verified 2026) Official source
• City of Hoboken — Rent Leveling and Stabilization Office (verified 2026) Official source

This page records local law. Statewide rules — deposits, notice periods, late fees, entry, evictions — live on the New Jersey hub, and the state-level position on local rent regulation appears there with its own citations and verification date.